Time After Time
by Desteni
Summary: A future Princess Zelda discovers that the Hero is not the only one who can travel through time. A combination of the worlds of Twilight Princess, Ocarina of Time, and A Link to the Past. ON HIATUS.
1. Prologue: Stirrings

**Prologue: Stirrings**

Lightning flashed jagged streaks through the pouring rain, and thunder rolled across the plain of Hyrule Field to rattle against the windows of the castle. Queen Zelda Sophia Shanareli never rested well on nights like tonight. At times like this when it seemed as if the very weather was raging against the people of Hyrule, she felt almost as if the legendary Ganondorf's anger was being poured out from his prison on the world he had so often sought to conquer. After rising from her bed and pulling on a gauzy robe, she looked down thoughtfully at the three triangles that formed a golden mark on her right hand. Maybe she felt that way because she held this distant connection to that notorious figure: they both bore pieces of the Triforce. She lit a candle and exited her bedchamber, walking to stand by the large window in the sitting room of the royal suite. Her fingers wrapped around the soft blue velvet of the drapes and pulled them back so that she could gaze outside. However, the pouring rain blurred her vision by beating a staccato rhythm on the window. She set her single candle on a nearby table. It gave off a soft illumination that combated the darkness between flashes of lightning. The Queen rubbed the back of her hand thoughtfully. Somewhere among the people of Hyrule, perhaps another not so different from herself would be feeling the exact same way right now.

"Mommy!" The Queen's reflections were interrupted by a tense voice, and the door to her suite crashed open as the young princess Zelda Orianne ran into the room to be wrapped in her mother's waiting arms.

"Did the storm wake you, dear?" Zelda Sophia asked gently while stroking her daughter's golden hair soothingly.

"I had a bad dream…th-there were all these scary… c-creatures trying to get me…a-and a big scary man… t-tried to lock me away in a c-crystal." The nine-year-old sobbed into her mother.

The Queen's breath caught in her chest at the familiarity of the scene her daughter described, but she forced her voice to be even and soothing. "There, there. It was just a dream dear…nothing will hurt you. I will not let anything happen to you." She clutched the young princess close and let her cry. It was times like this when she most missed her husband. It was such a tragedy that the accident at the old hidden village had claimed the King's life so early in their reign. And it was even more frustrating that in spite of everything the search for a trace of what had happened to the Sheikah had borne no fruit. History was important, but the present was what mattered most to Queen Zelda and she would spend no more of her time looking backward. The present and the future for the young lady in her arms – these were truly central in her mind.

"Come, why don't you sleep with me tonight?" The child nodded her agreement after rubbing her eyes. The Queen took her by the hand, led her into the bedchamber, and wrapped the young princess in silken coverings. She then settled beside her daughter, cradling the girl against her side.

"Mommy, tell me a story about the Hero." The intense sapphire eyes of the younger Zelda met the blue-gray eyes of her mother pleadingly.

The elder Zelda laughed softly, a soothing sound that was in stark contrast to the thundering of the storm outside. "I would think you would have all the stories about the Hero memorized by now! You must have heard them from me a thousand times!"

"But I wanna hear again!" A smile played at the corners of the young girl's mouth now that she felt safe in the arms of her mother. Her eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief.

"All right then." The Queen smiled lovingly down at her little princess. "Let me think… the adventure of the Hero once began on a night very much like this one. A great storm had come upon Hyrule, but it was different from this storm, for it foreshadowed dangerous happenings in the realm. The Hero was awakened by the thunder and by his uncle leaving for a very important mission at Hyrule castle. He was told to stay inside on such a night, but the Hero knew deep in his heart that he would be needed, and his courage never wavered as he stepped out into the wind and rain…"

There was probably no one in Hyrule who loved to hear about the Hero more than Princess Zelda Orianne. Even though she knew the story her mother told by heart, she listened with wide eyes as if she were hearing it for the very first time. Even the Queen was caught by her enthusiasm and did not pause for hardly a moment in telling the story of the Hero's venture into the Dark World to save the trapped maidens and the Princess Zelda. It was as if the tale just flowed out of her, and both she and her daughter were caught in the current and swept along until the calm after Ganon's defeat by the Hero wielding the Master Sword with the blessing of the Sages. It was well into the dark hours before dawn by the time the two Zeldas were released from the telling of the legend.

"Mommy, why doesn't Princess Zelda ever marry the Hero?" Bright blue eyes gaze intently at her mother's face for a hint of the answer to her question. "Doesn't she love him?"

Queen Zelda Sophia's eyes were distant, not looking directly at her daughter as she spoke thoughtfully. "I think that the Princess can hardly help loving the Hero, darling."

"Then why doesn't she marry him?"

The elder Zelda closed her eyes. "She cannot."

"But _why_? Does he not love her?"

"Perhaps sometimes he loves another. But I do not think that is usually the case either. Or even if he does care for another, he will still care for the Princess. The Princess and the Hero are always connected, a part of their hearts is always reserved for the other."

"Then why don't they ever live happily ever after? All the other stories' princesses live happily ever after."

"Unfortunately things are not always so simple. The Hero is not meant to be weighed down by his love for the Princess, but motivated by it. If that were so he could not protect Hyrule. He would have trouble being both King of Hyrule and Hero." The Queen shook her head when she saw that her daughter simply was not budging on her belief that the two figures should be together. "You will understand when you are older."

The little princess made a face and settled against the pillows with annoyance. "If _I_ were the Princess in the legends, I would marry the Hero."

Her mother smiled, "If you were the Princess in the legends you would also have to face much evil. So _I_, as your mother, hope you never find out what you would be as the Princess of Legend." She settled down and wrapped arms around her daughter. "Time for both of us to sleep. We have gotten far too little rest as it is."

"But I'm not sleepy." The young girl protested around a yawn.

"Yes you are. Sleep and dream of your Hero, my dear one" The Queen softly sang the Royal Family's lullaby, relaxing them both and soothing them into contented rest.

* * *

_Author's Notes: _

_Okay so, surprisingly (for me at least) I'm trying my hand at writing again, and I'm using a concept that has been going around in my head for a bit. I've always said that if I could combine aspects of Ocarina of Time, A Link to the Past, and Twilight Princess, _that_ would be my favorite Legend of Zelda game. So I'm trying to achieve that Zelda world in this story. So a lot of this is going to be original characters that are based in my version of the Zelda Universe. I don't intend to restrict myself to the above games, however, but will simply include my favorite, story-appropriate elements from the Zelda games I've played. Of course characters from the actual games will appear (eventually.) That will be part of the time travel aspect of this fic. This segment is, of course, merely a teaser, the main part of the story will follow the older Zelda Orianne's adventures.  
_

_On Names: I know I gave the Royal family a different name; (I just didn't feel like calling them 'Hyrule' or 'Harkinian' which were the only last names I could find for the King or Zelda.) But thought was put in to choosing it! It's a combination of two Hebrew names that mean "red" and "lion;" I stole it from the King of Hyrule's title in Wind Waker "King of the Red Lions." I think it's snazzy, you can think whatever you want. I gave the Zeldas middle names because I thought there must be some way to distinguish the two when a mother and daughter are actually alive at the same time. 'Sohpia' means 'wisdom' and 'Orianne' means 'gold.' I thought it was appropriate._


	2. Chapter 1: Princess of Courage

The Legend of Zelda: Time After Time

**Chapter 1: Princess of Courage**

_Seven Years Later…_

Moonbeams filtered into the palace chamber, tinting the room in the soft colors of the gauzy curtains. A warm, gentle breeze wove its fingers through the cloth giving the material the illusion life as it rippled above the tile floor. The distant sound of falling water from the garden's many fountains blended with the melody of wind chimes dancing on the gentle breeze. Midnight at Hyrule Castle on a summer's eve could not have been more soothing than it was this night. However, because of her emotional state's stark contrast to the sleeping world, Princess Zelda Orianne only felt her agitation more clearly.

She had once again been awakened by strange and terrible visions, and although she had dreamed nightmares from her childhood, they were growing clearer, more persistent, and more frightening. The princess was more than ready to find some answers, and she knew that she wasn't going to find them here in Hyrule Castle Town. Sixteen years of living in the palace here – hearing legends of the Hero before she could even read them, and then scouring the libraries for all she could find of Hyrule's history, both officially and legendary – and she knew the resources of this city. The answers to the questions in her dreams were not to be found here. And because her line was known to have prophetic visions, she desperately needed those answers. Six years ago she and her mother had made the deal that if she performed perfectly as a princess she would be allowed to learn what she could of swordplay and the ancient arts of defense from the legends in addition to her regular courtly training. Now, for the first time since that day, she was going to deliberately break the terms of her promise and leave Castle Town _without_ first gaining permission. In fact, she was even going beyond that.

Zelda drew the thick drapes across her windows before lighting a hand-lamp, and then set it down before the cedar trunk in which she kept all of her most treasured possessions. Using the key she wore on a thin golden chain around her neck, she unlocked the chest and lifted the heavy lid. The earthy smell of cedar was one of Zelda Orianne's favorite things about this trunk that she had inherited from her mother. It had a mysterious, ancient feel to it, and the wood-scent seeped into everything that she placed inside the chest. The first item she removed was a bag that she had found in the castle treasury when her mother had taken her there to tell her the history behind the most important items the Royal Family kept. She had wondered at first why such an ordinary looking object was there among jeweled armor, weapons, and other fabulous objects. The embroidered swirls and feathers on the bag were worn out in places, and the leather it was made of looked very old. But then she had realized that it could actually hold much more than it seemed, and the things one placed in it weighed hardly anything at all. (However, its space was not infinite. Zelda had tested exactly how much she could stuff into it to satisfy her curiosity one day soon after she had acquired it. The bag could hold a lot, but it definitely did run out of space, and it _did_ become heavy.) No one had known where the bag had come from when she asked about it. One book she had found in the library related some of the embroidered symbols with a people of the sky, but she hadn't found anything more about them in all her searching through legendary accounts.

The second item the young princess withdrew was one she had found practically buried in the armory, and a rare find it was: a Shiekah bodysuit. The lightweight mesh was amazingly good protection, and Zelda Orianne had found the range of movement allowed by the second skin very useful in her sparring sessions. The princess had always wondered if this had been the very suit worn by her ancestor, Zelda Destine. That Princess had put on the disguise of a Shiekah boy for seven years while waiting for the Hero of Time to awaken. If it was not that original suit, perhaps other Zeldas had joined her in copying that legendary figure's alter ego, and this was an updated version of the Shiekah uniform. Regardless of what time it came from, it was useful. Zelda Orianne set it on the floor beside the bag.

Thirdly, the present princess removed a long, thin object and unwrapped it, revealing the sword and sheath of the Dawn Blade. This was the golden-hilted sword of Zelda Twilia, who had aided the Hero and Midna, the Princess of Twilight, in saving Hyrule from encroaching darkness that entered through the Twilight realm. Zelda Orianne had had to beg for possession of this particular sword, but because her mother didn't care nearly as much for relics as she did, when the young princess was old enough to wield the perfectly balanced, lightweight sword, she had received it as a birthday gift. Hyrule's present princess had only ever used it in practice of course, but she would feel safer with a sword from the legends at her side. She carefully placed the sword, sheath, and belt beside the Shiekah suit.

Her fingers brushed over a second suit while she was rummaging, and Zelda Orianne took it out on a whim. The interlocking scales of the light mail caught and scattered the light from her lamp in the cool colors of deep waters. She fingered the soft, durable azure cloth with a smile. This was Zora Armor, one of two sets in existence as far as she knew. This one had been made for her by her best friend, the Zora Prince Ruahti, so that she could swim as deep as he could and they could explore the lakes and rivers of Hyrule together. The other set was kept by the Zora royalty for the use of the awakened Hero, whenever he should appear. The princess felt extremely privileged to own this. If only she could take her thoughtful friend with her on this adventure! But she was heading to the desert, and the desert was hardly the place for a young princess, let alone a Zora. She wouldn't need this in that barren land, but she had plenty of space in her bag so she decided to pack it anyway. Who knew where her answer seeking might lead her, or if she would have time to come back here and get the suit if she did need its magic?

Finally, Zelda Orianne withdrew a small, blue velvet-lined pouch, and set it on top of her bag before closing and relocking her chest. She then slipped out of her nightdress, folded it, and began methodically putting on the pieces of the Shiekah bodysuit. She took care with every lace and tie, using the time that she spent dressing to mentally prepare herself for the path she would be taking. Once suited up, she braided her long golden hair back so that it would stay out of the way, and proceeded to wrap her chest, wrists, and ankles, completing the ensemble. She belted on the Dawn blade and placed the velvet pouch and a few basic objects into her bag along with the Zora suit before blowing out her lamp.

The last thing she did before leaving her room was to place on her pillow a sealed letter of explanation that was addressed to her mother. Even though she gave her reasons, Zelda felt a twinge of sorrow at needing to leave this way. However, after her father's accidental death while he was looking into the past and the matter of the Sages, her mother would never let her take this dangerous path. She knew that the Queen only wanted to protect her beloved daughter, but the young princess needed to walk this road.

Zelda Orianne slipped through the corridors of the castle like a silent shadow, coming to the armory where she grabbed her favorite bow and quiver and stuffed some rope into her bag. She wasn't as fully prepared as she would have liked to be, but she thought she must at least have the basics. Zelda crept outside the castle as the sky was just starting to lighten with the faintest hints of dawn, and drew out her velvet pouch. She opened it reverently, and let an ocarina slip into her hand. The instrument was a shining azure color and the golden insignia of the Triforce glinted near the mouthpiece. She fingered the smooth, cool ceramic of the instrument with care. The Ocarina of Time was usually entrusted to the Princess of Hyrule on her seventeenth birthday; which was also when she came of age and became the Triforce bearer. But her mother had allowed her to have it a year early, on her sixteenth birthday, because the younger Zelda so loved the legends of the Hero and had already learned to play the ocarina. She was sorry that her actions now would probably make her mother regret that trust, but she simply had to find the answers to these dreams, or they would drive her insane. She had been taught the melodies for each of Hyrule's six sages on the harp as a child, but she had never placed any special significance on the songs. That had changed when one day, just after she had inherited the ocarina, she had been thinking of Ruahti and played the Serenade of Water on the Ocarina of Time. A deep blue light had enveloped her after she finished the first bars of the melody and when she could see again she had been standing on the island above the Water Temple in Lake Hylia. Luckily for her, the Zora knew every waterway in Hyrule and had brought the princess home before she could be missed. However, she had locked that experience away in her memory should she need to draw on that information again.

Zelda Orianne double-checked that she had everything she thought she would need, and then brought the Ocarina to her lips. The mysterious strains of the Requiem of Spirit sounded into the morning and a soft, amber light surrounded her, spiriting her away to the desert

Princess Zelda found herself standing in the imposing heights of the Mirror Chamber at sunrise. The ancient chains that hung from the columns of the Six Sages still gripped the enormous rock that had once served as part of the door to the Twilight Realm. She was standing on the pedestal that still held the frame of the shattered Mirror of Twilight. She was really here. She also noticed that 'here' was really quite high up as she walked to the edge of the Mirror Chamber and looked down on the desert. It was going to take her some time just to get to the shifting sands, let alone traverse it and find the fairy fountain. She straightened, drew on her determination, and began working her way downward, beginning with a passageway leading off of the main chamber that came to a series of stairs. She would have to brave the guardians of the temple, but she let the knowledge that her task was essential buoy her courage and entered with little hesitation.

* * *

The sun was setting over the horizon by the time a weary Zelda made it to the sands outside the Desert Colossus. There was nothing like experience to let a girl know what things she _should_ have packed. She was already wishing she had thought to bring food, a lantern, more water, and various other objects. She was also realizing how little experience she had with combat. She hadn't run into many creatures in navigating the Arbiter's Grounds, but she had run from far more than she had fought successfully. Her imagination could not even supply what the full force of a tainted temple under Ganondorf would have been like. Zelda respected the Hero even more after trying to successfully navigate that sand trap during _peacetime_ – let alone in the middle of a war!

On the bright side, even though she was far more tired than she'd like to be, evening would be the most comfortable time to cross the desert to where the fairy fountain was supposed to be located. So, instead of resting, Zelda kept putting one foot in front of the other, slowly crossing the shifting sands of the Gerudo Desert. She wondered about the women who had established this place and chosen to live in this harsh environment as she walked. They must have had a great deal of courage and tenacity to survive here. Hoping that she also bore those necessary qualities for desert survival, Zelda trudged on through the ruins of the Gerudo society. She wondered what had happened to them. Like several other races of Hyrule, the Gerudo had disappeared from the histories and legends, practically without a trace.

Zelda Orianne thought ruefully that she could see why this enormous desert had been the birthplace of the King of Evil as she continued to trudge through the clinging sands. Ganondorf, the Gerudo-born enemy of all Hyrule, was part of her reason for being here in the home of the desert thieves. The echoes of his sinister influence haunted her as she trudged through the dunes. But when she paused to look this place had an eerie beauty to it as well – a sort of harsh, majestic splendor. Perhaps that was what the Gerudo Sage of Spirit from the legends had been like. If Ganondorf reflected the shadowed side of the desert, perhaps she had reflected its glory. Zelda shook her head and sighed. Her thoughts seemed to be running circles around the Sages as of late. And her dreams…she could recall them so clearly by now.

As the dream began she stood in the center of what she could only place as the Chamber of Sages from the legends. She gazed on blue light flowing around her like water from her place standing in the center of the shining golden symbol of the Triforce. Circling her on the ground were the Sages' Seals, shining with the bright gold of light, the emerald of the forest, the ruby of fire, the sapphire of the water, the amber of spirit, and the amethyst of shadow. However, much to her dismay four of the seals stood empty, only the Goron and Zora of fire and water stood side by side to her right. And she could _feel_ deep in her spirit that three Sages were not enough to hold Ganon in his prison. The seals that protected Hyrule were weak, and she knew they could not stand for long. As she realized this, the world went dark around her and she saw with horror a twisted and evil version of the Hyrule she knew and loved. What she saw was different every time, and yet always the same. Through all her disturbing visions there was a distant deep-throated laughter, which she could only imagine came from Ganondorf himself. The missing Sages were the key to preventing her visions – she knew that much. But where could she even begin looking for them? She hoped the Great Fairy would be able to point her in the right direction.

With those thoughts in mind Zelda Orianne finally came to the southwest corner of the desert. There, a mesa marked the place where the Great Fairy's Fountain was rumored to be. She sighed heavily as she looked at the steep incline that led to the various levels of the mesa. She would need to rest before she even attempted to climb this obstacle. Zelda walked around the mesa, looking for a sheltered spot that would keep most of the wind out of her face. About three-fourths of the way around the mesa, the ground suddenly gave out around her, and she fell about eight feet down and landed with a splash in a shallow pool of water. Even though she had tried to minimize the damage by rolling, Zelda already felt some sore spots as she slowly stood. But other than a few bruises and being wet, she was unharmed. Moonlight filtered down from above and was enough to give her some impression of her surroundings. She was in a cave that held a small pool at the end where she was and had dry ground opposite her leading to what appeared to be a continuing passage.

'_I suppose it's better than the sand and sun.'_ Zelda thought with a shrug as she checked her possessions and then proceeded down the curving passageway. She ran one hand along the wall as it got darker to make sure she wouldn't lose her way. Then, just as she thought she should either stop or go back a flickering blue light appeared on the walls in front of her, rippling in the patterns of water. She eagerly stepped forward, and a gentle chiming music sounded in her ears as she approached the light. Zelda sighed with relief and smiled as she stepped into a room of hanging vines and shining tile. A beautiful spring welled up in an elegantly carved stone pool where pink spots of light with wings flitted over the waters. She had found the fairy fountain. With a giggling chime one of the fountain's fairies flew over to hover in front of her nose.

"Princess Zelda?" the melodic voice asked, identifying her at once. "What are you doing here?" A few other fairies flitted around her and Zelda felt refreshed by the warmth of the fairy dust, easing her body and her spirit. She had to have come to the right place.

"I'm looking for the Fairy Queen. I need her advice." The princess answered the little sprite's query gravely.

"I have never known the Royal Family to come seeking my counsel." A deeper melodic voice sounded from the spring as the Great Fairy stood and unfurled her beautiful translucent wings. Her eyes sparkled like starlight and her hair gleamed like a river of molten silver as it fell down to her waist. "The Fairies are for the help of the Hero, not the Princess."

Looking upon the Great Fairy's beauty, Zelda wished she had thought to at least change out of her Shiekah suit and into a dress before standing in audience with this lovely being. She was acutely aware of her dirty and tattered state as she bowed to the Queen of the Fairies. "I know that my visit is unprecedented, but I also know you to be a being that the goddesses have gifted with courage, power, and wisdom. And so I came to seek your aid, for I did not know where else to turn."

The Great Fairy smiled and extended her arms to Zelda Orianne. "A wise answer, Princess. I will hear your plea. But first you need to rest and heal. My fairies will take care of you, and they will bring you to me when you are ready." After she had finished speaking the Great Fairy dissipated in a blend of colored lights, and Zelda found herself being told by several small fairies at once to remove her dirty things and bathe in the spring. They didn't even wait a moment before they started gently pushing her around and guiding her where they wanted her, and she was far too tired to argue with them.

* * *

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Zelda Orianne awoke to the same faint chiming of the fairies that she had fallen asleep hearing. There were no nightmares in this place where she was surrounded by the beauty of the fairies' healing waters. She couldn't remember ever feeling more comfortable and well rested. The fairies had brought her to a spongy and sweet-smelling bed of greenery after getting her cleaned up, and she had fallen asleep within moments of lying down. She had been provided with a soft robe to rest in, and when she got up she found a change of clothes placed beside her bed of leaves.

By the time she had slipped into the simple but elegant gown of shimmering blue silk, the fairies had found her awake and insisted on doing her hair before they would take her to see the Great Fairy. Zelda couldn't help but smile at their chiming chatter and frequent giggles; it seemed as if they were all delighted to have a girl to fuss over. Their attention was sweet and not overbearing, and she found their company quite pleasant as they chatted to her and each other while combing and braiding her golden locks. When she finally met fairy approval, they led her through the tiled halls to a larger fountain than the one she had stumbled into previously. The Fairy Queen rose from sitting in the enchanted waters and waited for Zelda to come before her.

Zelda Orianne dropped a graceful curtsy as she stepped into the pool, leaving the comfortable shoes that matched her dress and her bag on the edge of the water. "Thank you for seeing me."

"It is my pleasure to be so respected by Hyrule's Princess. Come, child, sit with me and we will speak of your dreams." The Queen of the Fairies took the arm of Princess Zelda and they sat together in the magic fountain. Zelda Orianne told the Fairy Queen all of her dreams and all of her fears without reservation. If anyone in Hyrule could guide her, this woman blessed by the goddesses surely was the one who could. Talking with this great lady reminded Zelda of the times she would sit with her mother and speak of whatever was on her heart. She regretted that she had left with hardly a goodbye, and she hoped her mother was not too worried about her. Pouring out her fears and frustrations before the Great Fairy in the healing pool surrounded by soft lights and the chiming music of the smaller fairies, Zelda felt calmed. Although she wondered about the dire portents her visions had, here she could believe that any trial could be overcome. Here she would surely find the answers to her unsettled state, and the key to unlocking the secrets her dreams held. The Great Fairy was very serious as she spoke, and listened attentively, gently prodding her for the details of her visions, the changes in them over time, and generally not interrupting Zelda's telling. When the princess had finished all that she had to say, and answered as many of the Fairy Queen's questions as she could, the two let silence stretch between them and listened to the rippling of the water and the chimes of the other fairies' soft conversations for a few long moments.

"It seems that, as you've already determined, the Sages are the key to preventing Ganondorf from breaching his prison. However, as you also mentioned, several of Hyrule's races that the lines of the Sages were a part of have disappeared from our borders. To prevent the chaos of your dreams you will have to find the missing Sages, Princess," the Great Fairy spoke softly after a moment of thought.

"But, I've already been seeking clues to what happened to the Sages, and my father did the same before he died. Nothing new has come to light," Zelda Orianne protested.

"Perhaps you were not seeking in the correct places," the Great Fairy smiled softly at her young companion.

"My ability to search _has_ been rather limited by my duties as a princess," Zelda admitted.

"You may find some clues to your answer at the Temple of Time."

Zelda's eyes widened. "You know where it is?"

The Fairy Queen laughed – a melodic sound of merriment. "I had forgotten that it was nearly lost to Hylians. Yes, it is deep in the forests in Faron's domain. I will bring you to Faron's Spring and the Light Spirit can aid in directing you from there."

"Then, that is where I shall go!" Zelda Orianne rose with determination. Her features also revealed her excitement. She had always wanted to see the Temple of Time. "Thank you, Great Fairy!"

The Queen of the Fairies stood as well and smiled at the young princess. "You may call me Rhianna, Princess. Your courage is admirable, but that alone will not be enough to get you to the temple. And so I shall grant you the power of Farore's Wind." The Great Fairy gently kissed Zelda Orianne on the forehead, and a warm glow flowed through her body as a soft emerald-tinted breeze surrounded the two of them. "You have already shown great courage in coming here. Farore's power should come very naturally to you. I have found pleasure in your visit, young Zelda. We shall see each other again. Safe journey, Princess."

Before Zelda Orianne had the chance to thank her again she found herself in Faron's Spring with the lemur-like Light Spirit looking down on her. All of her things were in her bag, which Faron handed her along with her shoes.

"What you seek lies to the North and through the Forest, Princess. Go with caution, for the woods house many mysterious creatures." The Light Spirit's voice was soothing as it sounded in her mind.

"Thank you, Faron!" Zelda curtsied respectfully, accepted her bag, and slid her shoes on at the edge of the spring before heading down the path toward the forest. Dawn was just starting to lighten the sky as the sun peeked over the trees of Faron's province. This would be the third day that she had been away from Hyrule Castle. Surely people were searching for her by now; but she couldn't be found and taken back – not before she had finished her task.

Zelda Orianne stepped with confidence along the forest path toward the temple, even though she had never set foot in this part of Hyrule before. Perhaps Faron was guiding her through its territory, even the overgrown caves she had to pass through were not as dark as she imagined they would be. When a noxious swamp blocked her way it seemed instinctive to call upon Farore's power and use the wind to keep away the poisonous mists. Even crossing the dangerous canyon that kept people away from the Lost Woods seemed like a smaller barrier as she trusted to the Goddess of Courage and allowed the emerald winds to teleport her across it in short jumps. She felt the weight of ages as she followed the path lain out for her. The trees grew older and larger as she progressed, and she could _feel_ the magic in the very air.

The princess came to what appeared to be a dead end. However, as she gazed through the foliage, she found the symbol of the royal family engraved on the stone, and knew exactly what she needed to do. Once more, she unwrapped the Ocarina of Time and brought the instrument to her lips. She played the song that she had known from the cradle, the soft strains of the Princess' Lullaby. This song would identify her as an emissary of the Royal Family to the magics of this place. After she played a verse, she felt the power guarding the way activate, and a door opened to her. She didn't hesitate as she stepped through the gate and into the realm of memories forgotten: The Lost Woods.

The forest changed here. It seemed almost sentient, and the magics that ran through this place were so deep that Zelda could sense them without even trying. She also realized that these woods did not appreciate being disturbed from their slumber. The princess felt as if every step she took she was being watched and judged. A soft, bright melody played almost eerily at the edge of her consciousness here. As she stepped forward into a clearing in the woods, her presence was challenged by a curious creature about the size of a child. It wore a large hat and whimsical clothes that reminded her of fallen leaves. Its skin was so pale it was almost blue, and its eyes were points of glowing red-orange light that flickered over a wide smile. She connected it with the description of a Skull Kid from the legends. The Skull Kid blew a blast on a forest horn and eyed her warily; the lantern it held clinked softly as it swung back and forth and lit the creature's features in a ghostly blue.

Zelda didn't want to scare it away as it could probably guide her through the woods, so she again pulled out her ocarina. She played a fragment of melody and smiled at the strange child. It tilted its head and seemed to regard her curiously and then played its horn. She followed its lead on her ocarina. An instrumental game ensued, the melodies of horn and ocarina blending together in harmony. Afterwards, the child giggled and indicated that she should follow as it turned and skipped off through the woods. Zelda allowed herself a small sigh of relief for avoiding any real confrontation as she put away her instrument.

She followed the Skull Kid to the ivy-covered stone remains of an enchanted glade that led to the ruins of the Temple of Time. Reverently, she stepped through what might have once been a wall to enter the sacred grove. The Song of Time flowed up in her heart as she entered this hallowed place; it was almost as if she could hear the voices of past sages endlessly chanting the song. Sunlight streamed down through the trees that were now the Temple's only roof, creating dappled patterns of gray and green on the moss-covered floor and the parts of the walls that remained standing. Her steps took her through an archway guarded by ancient stoic statues to the circular clearing where the Sword of Evil's Bane rested in the Pedestal of Time. Its double-edged blade glinted brightly in the sun's rays.

This place – it was almost as if Zelda Orianne could feel it calling out to her. She closed her eyes, listening to the Temple and the Grove. Her memory was filled with the stories of Heroes Past and different times, the times when all of Hyrule's races had guarded the Sacred Realm. '_Please, goddesses, tell me the answer to my dreams. Show me where I might seek the missing Sages!' _Her heart sought for her answers as she raised the Ocarina of Time to her lips and instinctively played the haunting melody of the Song of Time. As the melody filled her the call intensified and she felt herself surrounded by the cool energies of time, caught up in the flow and taken into the stream. A sapphire light wrapped around her like a blanket on a winter's day, and she disappeared from the Sacred Grove.

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

_Well! This first chapter is finally up. I struggled a bit with getting it to where I wanted it to be, and I'm not sure if this is _perfect _but I'm fairly pleased with it. Special thanks to my boyfriend/beta for being a good sport about me forcing him to read/correct it. Hope you enjoyed!_

_**Edit 7/16/08 -** Thanks to Loyal Traitor's helpful advice I've changed the wording at a few points to hopefully make things a bit more clear and concise. His stories are a wonderful read, and I recommend you check them out if you've enjoyed mine. _


	3. Chapter 2: The Hero of Time

The Legend of Zelda: Time After Time

**Chapter 2: The Hero of Time**

When Princess Zelda Orianne became aware of her surroundings again, she once again stood in front of the alter in the Temple of Time, but it was as if her playing the Song of Time had somehow restored it to its former glory. The great stone walls arched high above her making her feel small compared to the immensity of time. Sunlight shone through the many stained-glass windows creating dappled patterns of color on the tiled floor. The architecture was carved in detailed bas-relief that depicted the scenes of Hyrule's creation by the goddesses. She felt as if the weight of the ages was collected in this one sacred place.

"Zelda?" a tenor voice sounded behind her. The way the two syllables of her name were spoken held a tenuous mixture of surprise and hope. Zelda Orianne started at the sound and whirled to face whoever had snuck up on her. Her dress fanned out around her as she spun, the blue silk material whispering sweet nothings to the sleek tile floor. Her golden hair curled around her shoulders as she quickly stopped her abrupt movement, and clutched the Ocarina of Time to her chest as she stared in puzzlement at the man who had spoken her name.

He was tall and sturdy like a young tree that was grounded in the earth but still able to bend with the pressure of a storm – solid, yet adaptable. His skin was lightly bronzed by the same sun that had lightened the longish straw-colored hair that fell into his eyes and framed his face. He wore a tunic and matching hat of light gray cloth that had designs associated with Hyrule and the Triforce embroidered in gold, green, blue, and red. His pants were of a darker shade and tucked into his black leather boots at the knee. Lightweight long sleeves were tucked into gauntlets that matched his boots and betrayed the presence of a pale undershirt beneath his tunic. A grin slowly spread across his handsome face as he approached Zelda Orianne. His deep blue eyes held her gaze as he drew near.

"I knew you'd come. I even dressed up for you, Princess." He stopped walking and stood about an arm's length away from her. "It seems like returning the Ocarina of Time to you was a good idea. I knew you couldn't forget, just like I couldn't."

Zelda Orianne found that all speech had left her as he stepped closer and gently ran his fingers through a strand of her hair. "Zelda, please tell me that you've changed your mind and you aren't going to marry that silly Lord Iorworth."

The young princess suddenly discovered her voice at that statement. "What?" she exclaimed, her sapphire eyes widening in shock and confusion as she jerked back and away from him. "I-I'm not _marrying_ anyone! Least of all some Hylian lord I've never heard of – and oh by the way, _who are you_? Why are you acting like you know me?"

The young man's eyebrows knit together as an expression of confusion and hurt wiped away his smile. "You don't know who I am?"

Zelda Orianne lifted an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes at the man. "Um, no. I told you I – " she cut off her own sentence as she heard the great doors at the front of the temple open. For some reason she couldn't explain she felt the need to hide from whoever was coming. Clutching her ocarina and her bag she turned away from the crazy mystery young man and pressed herself behind a column.

The rhythmic clicking of high heels against the tile near the doors sounded just as she whirled into her hiding place. The young man stared after Zelda Orianne and hesitated for a moment, then turned his attention to the newcomer. The sound of the footsteps paused and a gentle female voice spoke, "Link. You are wearing the tunic I had made for you." She smiled slightly.

Zelda Orianne could hear him slowly turn to face the speaker, "And you're wearing green, Zelda. I always did like that color on you." His voice was polite and warm as he spoke, but it didn't hold the raw emotion Zelda Orianne had heard from him earlier. His encounter with her seemed to have left him slightly unsettled. She couldn't resist peeking around her column to see what the Princess here looked like. The sight left her speechless. It was like seeing a mirror image. Long blonde hair the same shade as her own fell down around the other Princess' shoulders and framed sapphire eyes that could have been hers. This other Zelda might have been her twin. No wonder the man had mistaken her identity. The Zelda he had been waiting for wore a gown of the traditional royal style with all the ornate designs that defined a Zelda's role as Princess, but it was shades of green instead of the usual pinks, purples, and whites. When Zelda Orianne looked closer she also realized that the style of it was a bit old-fashioned.

"Link, I did come to see you today, but I am afraid it is not for the reasons you would like," the other princess spoke softly but in the quiet of the Temple of Time Zelda Orianne had no trouble hearing her.

"What do you mean?" the man asked in nearly a whisper.

The princess who looked so like Zelda Orianne closed her eyes as if steeling herself and drew in a breath, letting out a small sigh. She looked Link directly in the eyes when she spoke. "I have accepted Kenton Iorworth's proposal."

The man moved to gently grasp her arms. "What? But, why Zelda?" his voice was taking on an edge of hurt desperation.

"Because, Link, he is a good man and a good friend. He truly cares about Hyrule and its people as well as for me," her voice was cool and steady as she spoke. A slight crease in her eyebrows was the only thing that betrayed turmoil in her feelings.

"But Zelda, I love you! I've loved you since before we even met again in this time you created! You cannot tell me that you've forgotten all we went through together!"

The Princess turned her head away from him. "No, Link. I haven't forgotten," she murmured.

"Then why are you doing this? You were always by my side then, helping me, looking out for me as Shiek while I tried to save Hyrule." He let go of her arms and took her gloved hand in both of his. "You can't say you don't feel the same way about me!"

She looked into his eyes again. "You are right. I do care for you very much, Link. But I cannot marry you."

He stepped back and dropped her hand, clearly wounded. "Why? Am I not good enough for you, Princess?"

"Never that," she shook her head. "It just could not work well for the two of us right now."

"Or ever?" his tone was flat.

She hung her head as if chastised. "I am sorry."

"Is it your father and the council again? Because if it is I – "

"It is not just that," she interrupted.

"Then what?" he pleaded.

She shook her head slowly. "I cannot jeopardize the peace you fought so hard for, and our union would do just that. Do you not understand this?"

"No, I don't see how us getting to live happily ever after would harm the peace at all," he answered stubbornly. Zelda Orianne found herself silently agreeing with him. She had always wondered why the Princess and the Hero didn't live happily ever after together. No amount of explaining from her mother had led her to believe it should be otherwise.

"Link," the other Zelda drew the syllable of his name out in frustration.

"Zelda, I love you. Why is it wrong of us to be happy together?"

"Link, we have been through this a thousand times."

He sighed and his shoulders drooped. "There's no way to get you to change your mind is there? You'll do this, even at the expense of our hearts."

"I am sorry." She lowered her eyes and her head. "Goodbye, Link." Her heels clicked against the tile as she turned and made her way toward the doors.

Zelda Orianne's heart ached at the sad finality in his voice as he murmured, "Goodbye, Princess."

* * *

Walking away from him was the hardest thing the Princess of Destiny had needed to do in her life. And since she had had the unique opportunity to live seven years of her lifespan over again, that was saying a lot. She couldn't keep the tears from flowing as she shut the doors to the Temple of Time behind her, closing the way to happiness at Link's side behind her forever.

"Zelda?" an all too familiar baritone voice interrupted her sorrow and she turned abruptly to face her fiancé. Kenton Iorworth had longish auburn hair that he kept neatly in a tie at the nape of his neck. He was dressed elegantly, yet simply in a white shirt and brown trousers. A darker brown jacket that hung to his upper thighs added a few touches of embroidery to the outfit. She appreciated that he was not one of the nobles who liked so many ornate frills that they ended up looking more like a peacock than a person.

"Kenton, I am sorry; I did not expect you to be waiting for me here." She bowed her head respectfully, trying to hide her tears from his watchful amber eyes. She wasn't very successful.

"That much is obvious," he stated wryly. "My dear, you are crying." He stepped forward and used one hand to gently raise her chin, while stroking away her tears with the other. "I must admit that I hoped to see you a bit happier on the day you accepted my proposal of marriage."

Zelda Destine sighed. "I am sorry Kenton, but I – "

"Was saying goodbye to the man you named Hero of Time?" he probed gently.

Her eyes widened in surprise and her cheeks flushed. "Kenton, I – "

He placed two fingers over her lips to keep her from continuing. He was a bit shorter than Link, so his eyes were almost level with hers, his curious gaze catching her sapphire eyes easily. "Princess, I must ask this. If you so love him why on Din's earth are you planning on marrying me?"

Princess Zelda Destine was struck silent for a few moments as she searched for a way to answer the question.

Lord Kenton Iorworth sighed sadly. "I can see that this is not an easy question to answer." He offered her his arm as he suggested, "Shall we take a stroll in the castle gardens then?"

The Princess nodded and accepted his arm, "That would be fine."

The two of them let silence stretch between them as they left the Temple of Time and walked through the bustle of the town to Hyrule Castle. Neither of them really noticed the sculpted shrubbery and beautiful blooms that decorated the gardens' paths. Both were more concerned with the slight tension that hung between them. Zelda Destine was lost in thought for some time and Lord Kenton waited patiently for the answer to his query.

Finally, Zelda broke the silence. "I _cannot_ marry him."

Her escort glanced at her curiously. "I know your father does not approve of him, but surely that is not the only reason you are not going to marry the man you are in love with," he spoke quietly, without accusation, and Zelda was glad of that.

"Kenton, in order for you to fully understand, I must tell you a story."

"A story, Princess?"

"A life I lived, a quest he and I undertook that now never happened."

"You have my undivided attention, Milady," he answered seriously.

And so she proceeded to tell the tale of her attempt to protect the Sacred Realm from the Gerudo King, Ganondorf, and the consequences of her actions for Link and all of Hyrule. The story of how he had rescued her, and how she had aided in the Evil King's defeat. And then how she had used the Ocarina of Time to restore the balance of what once was.

"Well," he took a deep breath after her telling, "It seems as if you and he did a very good job of restoring the peace. I have never even heard of this Ganondorf fellow, after all. But I fail to see the problem. You two restored Hyrule just as you meant to, right?"

"Yes, but unfortunately all is not as it was. Ganondorf was not destroyed, only sealed away in the Sacred Realm. The Triforce of Power remains with him. The relic is still in three pieces rather than one." She looked over into Lord Iorworth's amber eyes, and noted that he still did not quite grasp her dilemma. "The Triforce is a relic of balance, Kenton. It is meant to be in either three pieces or one. If two of the Triforce bearers were joined together, their pieces would be together, and inevitably the third would be called. Link holds the Triforce of Courage, and I the Triforce of Wisdom."

The Princess could see the "ah-ha" moment cross behind Kenton's eyes. "You think that if you married him, Ganondorf's piece of the Triforce would be called forth by your union, and everything you'd fought for would come to nothing, because he would be free again."

She nodded sadly.

He stopped and turned her to face him. "Zelda, that's terrible," his voice held such sympathy that she couldn't help breaking down into tears. He gently wrapped his arms around her and stoked her hair as she cried into him.

After a few moments she stepped back and looked at him probingly. "You are taking it rather well, finding out that your fiancée is in love with another man."

He chuckled at that. "Well, I'd be lying if I said I was completely comfortable with all this. You must realize that if I was hearing this story about Evil Kings and time travel from anyone else I probably would not believe him," he sighed. "But this is you, Princess, and you do not lie."

"You believe me where my own father will not," she stated in wonder.

"Well you did say that he trusted this Ganondorf in the first place, so I wouldn't say his judgment is infallible." He smiled wryly, "And don't you go thinking too highly of me, Princess. I certainly cannot help but be jealous of this Hero who has earned your love so valiantly." He shook his head, "How can I even stand up to someone like that?" When no answer was forthcoming he nodded and said, "Of course, I cannot."

Zelda Destine looked like she wanted to say something but didn't know what to say.

He gazed at her intently. "So, why me, Princess?"

"You are a good man who cares about people, and about Hyrule, and even about me." He raised an eyebrow and she continued, "I know that this conversation has not been that encouraging to you, but it has solidified in my mind that I made the correct choice." He looked confused and she smiled at him. "You were very brave to put comforting me above your pride, and even though my story is far-fetched to someone who didn't experience it, you believed me."

"So…let me get this straight, you still want to marry _me_?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes, I do. You will be a generous and equitable king, and you have already proven yourself a friend to me," she looked into his eyes with confidence.

"You're asking a lot, to marry someone that you know is in love with someone else," he raised an eyebrow.

She lowered her gaze. "Yes, I know. I understand if you wish to revoke your proposal. But no matter my personal feelings I must think of Hyrule, and as an only child I cannot afford to remain unmarried and not produce an heir to the throne."

He considered for a few long moments and then took her hand. "I would be honored to aid you in serving Hyrule however I can, Zelda. If you wish that to be by your side as your husband, even knowing this, I will accept that."

The Princess smiled into his amber eyes. "Thank you, Kenton."

He grinned back, "It certainly doesn't hurt that I do care for you, Princess. Perhaps in time you will learn to love me as well."

"Then, we shall proceed as normal. For Hyrule."

"For Hyrule," he agreed.

* * *

Zelda Orianne slowly stepped out from behind her column, her eyes on the man, Link, as he stood with his head down, dejectedly staring after the Princess she suspected now was Zelda Destine. How she had come to this time was something of which she was still not entirely sure. But after hearing the conversation between the man and the Princess, she had an inkling of why she had been brought here. For this man was surely the Hero of Time. If anyone could help her in her quest, it would be him. After a few moments where neither of them moved, she stepped closer to him. When he still didn't react she walked around in front of him and was startled to see a few silent tears leaving shimmering trails down his face. '_The Hero of Time is weeping…' _the thought seemed so foreign to her image of the strong Hero setting off to rescue the princess and save the world. She hesitated a moment, and then placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

"Zelda?" he whispered her name questioningly.

Zelda Orianne shook her head slowly. "Not the Zelda you're wanting anyway." As she stood in the restored Temple – no, the _earlier, newer Temple_ – her mind ran circles around the possibilities. She had traveled through time. She could find out what happened to the sages because she could go back to the times when they had disappeared. But if she was truly here in the time of Zelda Destine all of Hyrule's races would still be in the land. Could she find out from the distant past what would happen in what to this time period was the future?

"You look just like her… who are you? Are the Goddesses just _trying_ to mock me?" He turned his back on her and straightened his shoulders.

"I'm sorry. I didn't even realize I was coming here, let alone that I'd come at such a bad time_._" The young princess shifted awkwardly before continuing, "My name is Zelda Orianne. If my guess is correct, I take after her as her descendent."

Link spun to face her, his piercing gaze locked on hers. "What?"

She spread her hands in a gesture of helplessness, "I'm a Princess Zelda from the future." When he only continued to stare at her she went on, "I might as well explain as best as I can. You are the Hero of Time, right? Perhaps you can aid me."

"Wait, what?" he shook his head as if to clear his mind with the motion. "You actually believe the story of me being the Hero of Time? No one heeds that tale!"

"Even if the people of this time forgot what you did for them, that doesn't mean such a story as yours could disappear from the legends. The tale of a young man who in spite of all odds stood against the darkness and rescued the princess and saved the world is one that inspires hope." Zelda Orianne spoke from her heart as she gazed up at the light shimmering through the stained glass windows of the Temple. "Even if it were not real, a story like that can _matter_ in the way it touches lives and challenges people to be more than they are. But your story _did_ happen, which makes it all the more precious." She smiled, "And the Royal Family _did _believe you."

"Or Zelda does," he muttered.

"Same thing," she answered with a shrug. "If the Princess decides to pass down a legend to her children, then it is unlikely to be forgotten. I should know; I grew up listening to the stories of the Hero, to _your_ story." Zelda Orianne carefully avoided eye contact as she added softly, "I always thought the Hero and the Princess should have lived happily ever after too, if that's any consolation."

When she glanced back at Link he was regarding her intently and with less suspicion. "I know this must all seem very strange and sudden, and believe me I was just as surprised to end up here as you were to find me here. But, it seems as if I am caught up in a story of my own now. And my path has led me here." Her bright sapphire eyes locked with his deep blue gaze. "In my time the seals on Ganondorf's prison have weakened. I believe that this is because the Kokiri, Gerudo, and Shiekah have disappeared from Hyrule. And I haven't any idea of what became of the Sage of Light either. I need to find out what happened to them, and I don't find it insignificant that I have been placed before the one man in Hyrule's history that has experience with time travel."

"You're asking for my help on your quest," he stated in a neutral tone.

"Yes, I am," Zelda Orianne bowed her head as she spoke and then dropped into a curtsy so deep it placed her knees on the tile floor. Her shimmering blue dress clung to her and cascaded down her legs to spread out around her like a pool of water. "Hero of Time, I ask for your aid once again, for the sake of Hyrule's future."

"Please, Princess," she felt his strong hands gently grasp her arms and pull her upright. "You don't have to bow like that. Not to me." He gave her a hint of a smile, "And the name's Link. It's a lot easier than going around calling me 'Hero of Time.' I'll do what I can. How can any hero worth his salt refuse such a plea from a princess anyway?"

A smile beamed out from Zelda Orianne's face like a ray of sunshine as she looked at her new companion. "Thank you, Link."

* * *

**_Author's Notes: _**_Yay a new chapter! I don't really have a lot to say about this one. Feedback is always appreciated!_


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